Do People Really Break Up At The End ‘Cuffing Season’?

Popular urban belief says people prefer to be single during the warm weather

Anyone who’s up on urban culture has certainly heard of “cuffing season.” It’s a time usually beginning at the start of winter, where single people decide to settled down with someone to keep them warm during those cold nights. With that, however, comes the inevitable end of cuffing season, where popular belief says some choose to kick their beau to the curb in order to enjoy the freedom of singlehood during warm weather.

But is there any truth to the phenomenon of cuffing season? Do people really get in relationships only to be single during spring and summer?

As crazy as it may sound, this will probably depend on the seriousness of one’s desire to be in a relationship. If you’re simply looking for thrill and convenience, then it would make sense that your status in the dating market would be based on seasons and temperature. During warmer climates everyone is out and about showing off their summer bodies, so it's understandable why some would see the advantage of being single during this time...you get to have fun with whoever you want without any repercussions.

But there are obvious flaws in that way of thinking. Being in a relationship shouldn’t be based on the condition of seasons and it shouldn’t be reduced to such a timeline. Sure, if you’re casually dating and simply wanted a consistent “lover” for the winter season and decided to call it quits upon the start of spring, you have the right (though you always have that right when you’re “single”) and, in theory, aren’t hurting anybody.

However, what’s not cool is those who take advantage of others’ feelings for the sake of one's own selfish, egotistical agenda. If you’re truly in a relationship for the right reasons, it won’t matter whether there’s snow or flowers on the ground. Relationships are hard enough as it is to nurture and grow any time of the year, the last thing one should be doing it playing with it like it’s a game of hot potato.

If you plan on enjoying your summer as a single person by all means do so, just don’t suddenly switch up the pace come winter simply because you get a little lonely during those winter nights indoors. Yes, cuffing season has ended but it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the good, warm weather with a significant other.